By Progress Godfrey, Abuja
Speak Out Africa Initiative, SOAI, a Civil Society Organisation has launched its FixJustice.NG project to garner support for the judiciary in rebuilding perceived breach of trust and confidence among Nigerians.
Addressing journalists at the project launch in Abuja on Monday, the Lead Director of SOAI, Kenneth Eze, who commended the judiciary for its judgements in the past, highlighted judicial welfare, inadequate funding and delay in release of funds to the judiciary among many challenges confronting them.
He noted that the judiciary’s constitutional responsibility to determine the outcome of election cases has always elicited mixed reactions, adding that concerns over bias in the courts appear prominently in current-day Nigeria vis-a-vis public trust.
“The FixJustice.NG project is a justice-focused project aimed at instilling public trust and confidence in the courts/ judiciary and fostering accountability; with a view to ultimately end perceived incidences of electoral judicial compromise thus, heralding a new reform in the administration of electoral justice & accountability in Nigeria in gaining political stability and legitimacy. Hence, strengthens access to justice by citizens, especially the marginalized, ” Eze said.
He urged stakeholders like CSOs to speak out in favour of the judiciary as they are constrained to speak for themselves.
He, therefore, cautioned politicians against utterances that are inimical to the image of the judiciary & justice system in general,
The Lead Director further called for a Live Broadcast for the 2023 General Elections Court Proceedings.
Speaking further on the deliverables of the six components of the FixJustice.NG project, he stated:
“2023ElectionCourtTracking.NG – We intend to launch people-driven 2023 election court viewing portal to create space for up-to-date information, transparency and wider participation.
“ElectionTribunalMonitoring – This entails deploying our monitors to observe, track and report back court proceedings and election tribunal sittings across the nation.
“JusticePal app – This is a friendly-easy-to-use mobile app for citizens to download and use in following up election proceedings progress and updates real-time.
“PerceptionPollSurvey – This is a scientific poll to be carried out to collect data and analyze for possible justice reform as well as strengthen the administration of electoral justice & accountability in Nigeria.
“Justice yarn – This is a street-driven participatory interaction to gather opinions of the common man whose last hope is the judiciary.
“MediaCourtRepoerters’ gang – This involves training and capacity building for assigned media personnel who will participate in 2023 election court proceedings.”